At Turing House School, we aim to help students who will be successful in their future, whatever path they take. In order to do this, students must be able to express themselves in writing and through speech; they must be able to listen to others’ viewpoints and communicate effectively. All teachers are involved in raising students’ literacy, and our students have plenty of opportunities to develop their reading, writing and speaking skills across the curriculum.
My Favourite Book
His Dark Materials, Phillip Pullman
‘I vividly remember reading these as a teenager and got completely lost in the world Pullman created. I think these books have paved the way for many others that have followed, and they still remain some of the best in their genre. The more recent ‘Book of Dust’ series, about the same world and characters, is also well worth reading.’ – Ms Dawson
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
‘I love this book because it has the most unusual narrator: death. Death becomes captivated by a girl, Liesel, who is growing up in the time of the Nazi regime in Germany. The book teaches important lessons about friendship, humanity, and the importance of the written word and its power to change things.’ – Ms Andrews
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
‘I love this book because it introduces you to a new fantasy world where immortality is possible. Structurally, there are five narrators throughout the text (a similar structure to his other famous novel, Cloud Atlas) primarily focusing on the protagonist with psychic abilities, Holly Sykes. The plot focuses on a war between the Anchorites, immortal characters who remain immortal by murdering, and the Horologists who naturally reincarnate and try to defeat the Anchorites. It is a bizarre world that it utterly consuming! I cannot recommend it (and other books by David Mitchell) enough to anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre!’ – Ms Kirwan
These lists are not exhaustive, please email us if you have any additional books that we should add to your lists.
BBC’s 100 books to read before you die
19th Century Reading List (attached)
Its important to stretch yourself when it comes to your reading. If in doubt, use this handy calculator to see if you are being challenged enough.
Useful Links